The latest batch of small SUVs are the height of fashion.

When it comes to cars changing the new-car landscape, the latest batch of small SUVs are the height of fashion. Building from almost nothing a decade ago, there are now at least 10 serious players in what is the fastest growing segment of the market. A trio of new entrants early in 2015 – the Honda HR-V, Renault Captur and Mazda CX-3 – heralds the boom of an already steadily growing segment.

And there's more to come, with Jeep and Fiat set to bring their small SUV rivals to a segment most believe buyers can't get enough of.

We've thrown one of the former class leaders, Holden's Trax, into the mix as well for a four-way compact SUV shootout to determine where best to spend $30,000.

First launched in 2013, the Trax is already one of the elder statesman of the small SUV category. And despite being something of a pioneer – giving Holden a recent rare sniff of sales success – it's looking decidedly less fresh in the face of newer competition.

That age means Holden's smallest SUV misses out on some of the latest fare, such as seatbelt reminders in the rear (it and the Renault are the only ones missing them) and the option of the latest active safety features, such as auto braking.

You don't have to look far around the cabin to spot cheap-looking trim, whether it's some silver-look plastics or the fake leather trim that is more sticky-under-thigh than supple.

However, the Trax makes points with its spacious interior. Rear headroom is above average, while legroom isn't bad for what is a small car.

Storage is also brilliant. You'll be inundated with hidey-holes for phones, coins, glasses – whatever, whether it's the four cupholders in the centre console or the smaller pockets high on the dash. There are even two small gloveboxes, as well as a covered binnacle in the centre of the dash and a sliding tray under the front passenger's seat.

On the road, the Trax is mixed. The 1.4-litre engine doesn't have much power but has decent mid-rev flexibility, so can easily build pace, albeit with some associated noise. It's helped by the six-speed auto, which has fairly close gear ratios, meaning it will shift up into second, third and fourth gears sooner than may be expected.

But the engine lacks spark when first called on, with some lag as its turbocharger spins to its optimal operating speed. It's less of an issue on the move but can be frustrating in stop-start traffic.

Fuel use also doesn't help the Trax's cause. It's claimed figure of 6.9 litres per 100km is the equal highest but blew out to 11.1L/100km on our test. That it calls for premium unleaded raises the bowser pain.

But the tiny Holden has excellent road manners. Grip from the 18-inch Continental tyres is excellent and the SUV responds faithfully to steering inputs. It's deceptively capable and inspires confidence, dealing admirably with lumps and bumps.

But there's some associated tyre roar, something that further detracts from the cabin ambience.

The Trax's value also wanes against its competitors. At $29,990 it's the second dearest here, yet it's the only one without auto airconditioning and a smart key entry system.

There's a freshness and modernity to the HR-V from the moment you approach it, whether it's the concealed rear door handles (designed to make it look like a three-door) or the elegant, upmarket interior.

Indeed, that cabin is a big part of the sales pitch – big being the key word. While most small SUVs hold little hope of making adults comfortable in the stern, the HR-V gives it a crack. Headroom is generous, as is legroom. Like its rivals, the prospect of three wide waists across the back isn't appealing, but as a four-seater it is the most spacious of our quartet.

Luggage space, too, is above average, with a pram-welcoming cavity. As with its rivals there's a 60/40 split-fold function, as well as Honda's clever "Magic Seats", which allow the seat bases to be folded up independently. It's a fantastic setup and one that makes it easy to fit bikes, TVs or other bulky items.

But the HR-V stumbles with its flimsy luggage cover. The stocking-like material (with a harder frame) needs to be slotted in (rather than extending and contracting) and is so delicate it can't easily support everyday items such as an iPad or purse/wallet.

On the road there's a woolliness to the steering that doesn't do much to its moderate dynamic flair. That continues to its cornering prowess, which lacks the bite and poise of the Mazda and doesn't respond as calmly to mid-corner steering adjustments.

The 1.8-litre engine falls tantalising close to matching the bigger Mazda's peak power, but it's short on torque, with the least of our contenders, at just 175Nm. Thankfully the CVT (continuously variable transmission) does its best to make up for the shortfall, spinning the engine up above 6000rpm to tap into Honda's trademark high-revving peaks.

But from a standstill there's less enthusiasm and the CVT takes its time winding up, underlining the engine's lack of low-rev muscle and adding to an initial feeling of lethargy. It also struggles to maintain a set speed on cruise control, which is frustrating on undulating roads.

With claimed fuel use of 6.9L/100km the HR-V is towards the thirstier end of the small SUV scale; during our drive it used 9.9L/100km.

In terms of model options, the HR-V is only available as a narrow model range, compromising VTi, VTi-S and VTi-L variants, all of which share the same 1.8-litre engine and auto transmission. Despite its looks there's no four-wheel-drive option for now.

For this test we drove a VTi-L, but for comparative purposes we're imagining it's the more affordable VTi-S (heated front seats, a sunroof and leather trim are the prime differences), which sells for $27,990.

Much of the Honda's value has gone into the extra millimetres. But it's also generously appointed, with the requisite camera, large colour touchscreen and rear parking sensors.

It's also the only one here with dual-zone ventilation, which balances it being the only one to miss out on sat-nav.

If making an impact counts, then Mazda's all-new arrival scores early points. The CX-3 is not only one of the most affordable SUVs on the market, it has one of the broadest model ranges, with prices ranging from $19,990 all the way to $37,690.

In between are four trim levels, the choice of diesel and petrol engines, manuals and autos, and the option of front- or four-wheel-drive.

Not every permutation is filled, but the 10 models on offer outstrip any competitor and positions the CX-3 for almost everyone. Or so Mazda seems to hope. The CX-3 is also the only small SUV to offer a Safety Pack across its range, bringing blind-spot warning and auto braking below 30km/h (it's $1030 extra on all but the flagship Akari).

Our Touring sits one from the top of the range and is priced at $28,990, bringing with it faux leather highlights, sat-nav and – unique to the class – a heads-up display, which uses a small piece of glass on top of the instrument cowling to project a digital speedo close to the driver's line of sight.

And Mazda has nailed the styling, with flowing lines and a long snout signalling its performance intent.

It's reaffirmed with the driving package, which begins with the largest, most powerful engine here. Its 109kW only just outguns the Trax and HR-V (the Trax has fractionally more torque) but it's delivered with a feistiness that makes it the quickest of our quartet, sprinting to 100km/h in 8.9 seconds. The six-speed auto, too, mates well to the engine and shifts cleanly; there's a sports mode that shifts down more aggressively and holds gears for longer.

The downside is noise once you're revving the engine out, something that can create quite a din in the cabin. Combined with a thruminess to the way it revs, it lets you know it's working.

Despite all the activity, the CX-3 has claimed fuel use of 6.1L/100km, a figure that blew out to 9.3L/100km on our test. Still, the Mazda is also the only one with a stop-start system to save fuel when stationary.

It also steers accurately, something that makes it feel agile, utilising the grip from the 18-inch tyres nicely. It's a shame the nose isn't always in sync when it comes to recovering from a bump, something more noticeable at high speeds.

Where the Mazda loses marks is in the back seat. Headroom is OK, but legroom is very tight, making it a kids-only affair for most journeys. Even then the prominently rising window line reduces side vision for the littlies.

And extracting yourself from the back seat is more of a challenge than it should be. Granted, these cars are predominantly for singles or couples with no kids, but the back doors suggest it will sometimes accommodate more, and the Mazda is least set up for the task in this group.

French car makers have traditionally done things differently. And it's no different with the Captur, which is clearly trying to capitalise on its European heritage with the swoopy, distinctive design.

Inside, too, there are interesting touches, such as the bright fluoro angled elastic nets on the backs of the front seats. The dash continues the theme with some orange splashes and an instrument cluster dominated by a legible digital speedo. Throw in various dimpled patterns on the different plastic textures and it makes for an interior that can't be labelled as a copycat.

But the central touchscreen feels like an afterthought, with an LG logo that pops up on start-up and built-in USB point. There are other quirks, such as the removable binnacle at the back of the centre console, something that can foul the front seat rake adjuster knobs.

Like the Holden, the Captur misses out on seatbelt reminders for the rear seats and can't be optioned with modern active safety features. But there's a more serious omission on the safety front – no airbags in the rear; the Renault is the only one to omit the potentially life-saving rear curtain airbags.

But its $27,990 price tag is tempting, especially as it brings smart key entry, sat-nav and a reversing camera.

There's added cleverness inside with the Captur's rear seats, which can slide forward or back by up to 16cm. It allows you to trade off between boot space and legroom, with each heavily compromised in the most extreme respective positions.

Favour seat space, though, and the rears dish up decent legroom, something that goes well with the generous headroom. But the deep floor well makes it difficult to quickly rotate your legs and get out.

On the road the Renault is the quietest of our quartet, subduing unwanted road noise impressively. It's also well behaved, sumptuously dealing with higher speed bumps and offering a good blend of control and comfort at city speeds.

It's the only one with drum brakes at the rear (something still common in city cars) but its stopping ability is still reassuring.

Going is not as convincing. The tiny 1.2-litre four-cylinder benefits from a turbo, but teamed to the twin-clutch automatic transmission (marketed as EDC, or Efficient Dual Clutch) it's a frustrating combination. Accelerating from a standstill is leisurely at best, and often frustrating in the time it takes to get moving.

Combined with a modest 88kW of power, the situation doesn't improve much on the run. Even around town you're often flat out on the accelerator, and on the open road it's an exercise in maintaining momentum.

At least it's frugal. Claimed consumption of 5.4L/100km makes it the most efficient of the lot, and even after our occasionally spirited drive the returned 8.8L/100km led the field. That it calls for premium unleaded removes some of the shine, though.

CONCLUSION

Holden's Trax puts up a stellar fight, with good driving dynamics and a spacious cabin. But its interior lacks flair and the 1.4-litre engine suffers from some lag, detracting from its value appeal.

Renault's Captur has a clever and funky interior and drives with a maturity few in this category do. But its tiny engine is regularly frustrating, except when refuelling. Combined with inferior rear seat safety it's enough to relegate the Renault to third place in this shootout.

Two to go, and the battle for the top spot could flip either way depending on your priorities.

If it's space and flexibility, then the Honda carves a confident route to the top of the podium. It's got a clever and classy interior and is well specified.

However, most people aren't buying small SUVs for space. They want them for lean running costs, easy manoeuvreability, all while being fun and easy to live with.

For that the less-than-perfect CX-3 is closest to nailing the brief, emerging as a compact champion thanks to its fun-to-drive demeanour, good economy and excellent value.